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NBA Playoffs 2003

Count on the Kings or the Lakers

By Mike Oseroff

Mike Oseroff is Youth Radio’s resident sports commentator and columnist. Keep checking this space for his weekly updates! You can email him at sports@youthradio.org.

Mark your calendars everyone, for the end of May. The NBA playoffs begin. What’s that you say? They’ve already started? No, no, no, maybe you misunderstood me. The real NBA playoffs start at the end of May. The games right now are merely practice time for the Lakers and the Kings to get the rust out of their game, adjust their jumpers, and stay in shape. The end of May is when we see it all come together.

Sure, 16 teams entered the playoffs a week ago, each with hopes and dreams of NBA glory, but when it is all said and done only two will have a legitimate chance: Sacramento and Los Angeles. This isn’t the college basketball playoffs. It isn’t one loss and you’re out. Each series in the rounds are seven games, including the first round, which switched from a best of five format this year. Know what that means? It means literally no upsets, and no underdog teams advance to the next round. No more low seeded teams sneaking through in a five game series. Only the big boys move on this year. And once again the Lakers and the Kings will be playground bullies to the other 14 teams, and push them around until they give them their lunch money, or in playoff terms, the series.

Yes, I know it is a little unfair and boring to have these two powerhouses blowing away the competition, but they’ve both paid their dues. Sacramento for years was a bottomless pit in the NBA — a team in the smallest NBA city — that many thought played in a barn among the cornfields. Up until Chris Webber arrived, you probably couldn’t name three players on the Kings, and now they preside at the pinnacle of the NBA throne. They’ve built their amazing team through mostly trades and patience, as they waited for their talented pickups to gel together. And when you see the spectacular “farmer 12” in action, it is the closest thing to perfect basketball that you can experience. They weave in and out, cutting and passing, finding a wide-open shot, and burying it. It is like poetry in motion.

The team that will challenge them is the dynasty that is the Los Angeles Lakers. Next to Boston, the most prestigious and mystique injected franchise in the league. They’ve won the last three NBA titles, and no matter how many teams gun for their heads, they still manage to crawl through and persevere, basically riding the shoulders of two players. They are the Yankees of basketball, a hated team that people love to see fail, yet their two stars feed off all of the negativity and continue to maintain a firm grasp on their “best guard” and “best center” titles. Yeah, Shaq and Kobe are an old story, but they’re still the rolled up newspaper that is whooping your butt come playoff time.

Last season, we were all treated to one of, if not the greatest, seven game series of all time between the two teams. Each game was as dramatic and breathtaking as the one before it, with new heroes emerging and veterans proving they can still do it, in an all out battle royal that defined what the playoffs really mean. And with the Western Conference posing a distinctive advantage talent-wise over the East, this year’s West winner will almost certainly be guaranteed the 2003 Championship. And barring a season ending injury to a key player, that team will be the Lakers or the Kings. So at the end of May, we will all witness the sequel to the amazing 2002 West Finals, and the anticipation is almost unbearable.

But because it is early, I am entitled to give every team a fair chance, and judge their chances objectively. So here goes:

Western Conference

(1) San Antonio vs. (8) Phoenix
The Suns definitely stole one from the Spurs in Game One with Stephon Marbury’s 3-pointer at the buzzer to win it all, but because of the new seven game format, it is doubtful that the Suns can play consistently in all of their remaining games. The series is tied at 2-2, but the Spurs should pull it out unless Steph has a few more tricks up his sleeve.

(2) Sacramento vs. (7) Utah
The Kings looked dominant in their first couple of games. Utah is too old and too slow to run with speed crazy Sac-town. Kings are moving on. Nuff said.

(3) Dallas vs. (6) Portland
A lot of offense, and not a lot of defense as both like to get out and run. The delinquent Blazers played aggressive in Game 4, but the Mavericks are up 3-1 as of yesterday and can easily take one more with their nightly point output. But can Dallas beat the Kings in the next round? And can Dirk Nowitzki keep putting up 40 points a game? Chances point to no.

(4) Minnesota vs. (5) Los Angeles
The Lakers owned them in Game One, but the T-Wolves played great thanks to mystery man Troy Hudson’s play, and put LA on the ropes by taking Games Two and Three. But Shaq came through in Game Four to even the series, and put the momentum back in the Lakers’ hands. And even though Kevin Garnett has experienced six straight first round playoff exits, it looks like it’ll be lucky seven for him and his crew. The Laker mystique sends KG packing.

Eastern Conference

(1) Detroit vs. (8) Orlando
A great match up of a team that scores very little, against a team with the NBA scoring leader. The Pistons play great defense, that’s why they have the one seed, but their star Ben Wallace is hurt, plus he only averages eight points a game. The Magic have T-Mac, some good up and coming rookies, and a lot of heart and desire. They also have a 3-1 lead in the series. McGrady has been hot, and the Pistons have been cold, so a very rare upset might be in the cards. I’ll take Orlando.

(2) New Jersey vs. (7) Milwaukee
I wouldn’t be surprised if Jason Kidd took the Nets back to the finals for the second year in a row, he is that good, but the Bucks present a challenge. They have two star point guards in Gary Payton and Sam Cassell to counter Kidd, and a great coach in George Karl. However, both Payton, Cassell, and teammate Jason Caffey are facing charges for assault in Toronto in between games, and it is amazing that they have battled back to tie the series with that hanging over their heads. I’ll still pick the Nets though.

(3) Indiana vs. (6) Boston
I like this series a lot because it really could go either way. Both teams are high energy and both can put points on the scoreboard. Paul Pierce has been a monster for Boston though, and propelled his team to a 3-1 series lead. Reggie Miller and Indiana are in too deep of a hole to crawl out of. Boston moves on.

(4) Philadelphia VS. (5) New Orleans
Allen Iverson is on top of his game and his 55 points in Game One was crazy. The Sixers are up 3-1, and New Orleans will really have to dig deep to come back and take it. Plus their star Jamal Mashburn is out for at least one or two games with a chipped bone in his middle finger. That isn’t good for the folks down on Bourbon Street. Philly is a safe bet this round.

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